Evolution of a Depot

Adding a new shot of a location I already have allows me to do a photo timeline, which my detailed self loves to do. The Frontierland/New Orleans Square depot has always been a favorite of mine, and a recent acquisition inspired me for today’s post. Image #1 shows the structure and how it looked when Disneyland first opened in 1955, followed by a shot from July 1959. The side covers had been added by this point and the paint scheme had changed.



April 1960:



November 1961, which is the new acquisition. I was excited to obtain this one as it shows a broader view of the building than my other vintage shots.



Get that “E” coupon ready! NO CASH!!



Sometime around 1963/1964 the Depot was moved across the tracks to make way for New Orleans Square. Here’s a semi-recent shot of the Depot, which still remains a favorite of mine:



A few from when the railroad was closed for trains but this particular station was open for guests to actually walk right up to it!









See more photos at my main website.

Evolution of a Train Station

In 1948, Disney released a movie titled, “So Dear To My Heart,” which features a small Victorian-styled Train Station called the Fulton Corners Station. Once the film was finished, Walt offered the Train Station set to Ward Kimball for his backyard railroad setup, The Grizzly Flats. Since the building was a set, it was somewhat flimsy, and Ward & Team spent much time making it sturdy (including adding a backside to it, since the set had none). Picture 1 from today shows the station in Ward’s Backyard, circa October 1962. This photo also features engine #1, Chloe (named after Ward’s daughter). Two more shots from this set show Engine #3, Olomana; both engines came from Oahu.





Flash forward to 1955; Walt is busy with Disneyland, and of course, being the railroad enthusiast that he is, he wants a train to circle the park. For the Frontierland Train Station, he remembers the Fulton Corners set and asks Ward if he can have it back; after the amount of time and labor that Ward put into it, his response is a firm “no” (can’t blame him!). So instead, Walt just recreates the whole darn thing, using a different paint scheme. This black and white shot shows the original location of the Frontierland Depot, which was much closer to the New Orleans Street area. Eventually, it was moved back when the New Orleans Square area was built. The slob on the left definitely has a modern sensibility about him.



Here are two color views from 1958. You can see the corner of Adventureland/Frontierland in the background, which gives you an idea of how close it was.





And here is how the Station looks today, in its present location. Sadly, it is on the other side of the tracks and we do not get to sit inside or look around this quaint looking turn of the century building. Note the removal of Western Union from the Telegram signage; and who says Disney is all about crass commercialism!





If you love this station and want one of your own, you can always dig up one of the model kits made years ago by a company called PIKO, and hunt down one of the Chloe models; Ebay is probably your best source.







To see more vintage & current Disneyland Railroad photos, visit my website.